Soaring temperatures will leave parts of the UK sweltering over the next few days, weather forecasters warned today.

But while the Government issued a health warning over the heatwave in the Midlands and the South-east, heavy rain in the North-west diverted the England football team's homebound plane from Manchester to Liverpool yesterday.

The thermometer hit 32.3C at London's Heathrow.

Temperatures were in the 30s across the Midlands, the South and East Anglia.

Cooler weather is expected by Thursday.

Manchester was hit by torrential downpours and flash flooding which closed two lanes of the M60 motorway and caused damage to homes.

A textile factory and a house were struck by lightning, although no one was hurt. In Heywood, 20 properties had to be evacuated. In Irlam, a 90-year-old man and six other people had to be rescued from two cars by firefighters after they became trapped in 4ft deep water.

West Yorkshire firefighters received almost 300 calls for help in three hours.